Applied Physics

Quiz: How NASA Knowledgeable Are You?

This summer, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Take this quiz to find find out how NASA knowledgeable you really are. You consider yourself a staunch supporter of space travel. As a child, you spent man ...

Article - Jen Palmares Meadows - Sep 18 2008 - 6:46pm

Genetically Engineered Animal Regulation: Mooooving Along

People who believe eating genetically modified organisms will turn them literally into what they eat are in for a new nightmare- genetically engineered animals. Highly ironic case of misinformed alarmist sprouting antlers, snout reported to FDA The Food a ...

Article - Becky Jungbauer - Sep 18 2008 - 2:31pm

MAVEN, Deuterium And A Mission To Mars

A new proposed spacecraft named MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) is expected to be launched in 2013, a $485 million mission to collect atmospheric data on Mars. The purpose of the NASA’s Mars Exploration Program is to gain further knowledge ...

Article - Ashley Cox - Oct 10 2008 - 1:49pm

Physicists' Energy Report

American Physical Society (APS) published on 16 September 2008 its energy report entitled Energy = Future (Think Efficiency)-- A Different Kind of Energy Efficiency Report. To facilitate discussion of all of its recommendations, I have posted them below. Y ...

Blog Post - Hatice Cullingford - Oct 19 2008 - 1:55pm

Your GPS System Can Be Hacked Too

In a horror movie of the future, the villain could very well be someone who hijacks your GPS system and sends you to that lonely cabin in the woods. Global positioning system (GPS) technology is becoming something people can't imagine living without, ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 22 2008 - 6:03pm

Shields Down- Solar Wind Lowest In The Space Age

Data from the Ulysses mission show that the Sun has reduced its output of solar wind to the lowest levels since we've had readings and it could reduce the natural shielding that envelops our Solar System. The Sun's solar wind plasma is a stream o ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 23 2008 - 12:51pm

Fluid Mechanics Problem Gets Solved After 100 Years (Thanks, MIT!)

As a car accelerates up and down a hill then slows to follow a hairpin turn, the airflow around it cannot keep up and detaches from the vehicle. This aerodynamic separation creates additional drag that slows the car and forces the engine to work harder. Th ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 25 2008 - 11:28am

Odyssey IV- Swims Like A Fish, Hovers Like A Helicopter

MIT researchers have designed a new robotic underwater vehicle that can hover in place like a helicopter — an invaluable tool for deepwater oil explorers, marine archaeologists, oceanographers and others. The new craft, called Odyssey IV, is the latest in ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 29 2008 - 4:48pm

17 Years Ago, Jane Poynter And 7 Others Entered Biosphere 2

17 years ago, September 26, 1991, 8 brave souls locked themselves inside a sealed dome to simulate what it would be like to live in an artificial closed ecological system. It was called Biosphere 2 (the original 'biosphere' being Ma Earth here) a ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Sep 26 2008 - 3:38am

This Day In Science History: September 26th

Scientific happenings, big and small, on this day in history But first: today’s quiz. What inventor, who died on this day in 1902, developed and patented a highly popular (and much beloved) item of clothing in 1873? Trust me, you most likely have this item ...

Article - Kimberly Crandell - Sep 26 2008 - 9:01am